Abstract: Catherine G. Stern was a social activist for civil and human rights. The papers contain correspondence, administrative papers,
reports, and publications from the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, the Community Relations Conference of
Southern California, the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights, and other civic, educational, and artistic organizations with which
Stern was involved.

creator:
Stern, Catherine G., 1910-2010

Arrangement

Original order and original series designation was maintained with the Stern papers.

Scope and Content

The Catherine G. Stern papers include materials from 1951 to 2001 that document Stern's involvement with various civic organizations.
Her role with the Los Angeles County Commission of Human Relations, the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation
Council, and the Community Relations Conference of Southern California is documented in the collection through correspondence,
article clippings, reports, pamphlets, copies of speeches, and memorandums.

The papers were given to the University of Southern California in 1997 by Catherine G. Stern.

Biographical note

Catherine "Kate" G. Stern was born on November 19, 1910 in New York, but moved with her family to Los Angeles, California
during her elementary school years. She attended Los Angeles High School before enrolling at UCLA where she received a B.A.
Degree in English with a minor in Psychology in 1932. Between 1945 and 1960, Stern became involved with various organizations.
She began her community efforts with the PTA and then moved on to coordinating councils. She volunteered for the Red Cross
at their neuro-psychiatric hospital, she was Chair of the Wilshire Coordinating Council where she formed the first Human Relations
Committee, and she served as a member for Governor Pat Brown's Advisory Committee. While serving on the Advisory Committee,
she was selected as a delegate to attend the White House Conference for Children and Youth in Washington D.C.

From 1953 to 1991, Stern served on the Board of Directors for the Community Relations Conference of Southern California. From
1960 to 1973, she served on the Board of Directors for the Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation Council
and as Chair for the Urban Affairs Commission of Community Relations Committee of the Jewish Federation. She was commissioner
of the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations, President of the L.A. County Commission from 1966-1968, a member
of the Board of Directors for Regional Planning Association, and Chair for the "Agony of City Conference" and "Agony of County
Conference." In addition, she served on the subcommittee for the Citizen's Advisory Council to L.A. County Regional Planning
Commission, the Los Angeles City Social Service commission from 1973-1983, and the KCET Community Advisory Committee from
1979-1989. She received the UCLA Distinguished Alumni Award for Community Service 1985.

In addition to her work as a social activist for civil and human rights, Stern also began studying art in 1971 with such notable
artists as Robert Bizinsky, Kero Antoyan, and Barbara Hagan. Stern was a member of the Los Angeles Art Association and had
over 30 private shows. She was married to Meyer Stern, a former insurance executive, with whom she had two children, Mathilde
and Dean. Catherine Stern died on September 23, 2010.